Video game development is vast, with so many actors, developers, and creators all playing a crucial role in bringing the world of pixels and stories to life.
In an eye-opening revelation, Jennifer Hale, the voice behind Dr. Naomi Hunter in Konami’s 1998 sensation, Metal Gear Solid, spilled the beans on her remuneration for the game. Hold onto your hats for this one – she pocketed a cool $1200 for a game that raked in a staggering $176 million.
Dropping this bombshell on the My Perfect Console podcast, Hale tackled a pertinent issue that has raised eyebrows for quite some time. There’s a disconnect between the earnings of game voice actors and the mega profits their AAA games churn. Drawing a parallel to a time gone by, she pointed out the average CEO’s pay was merely 20 times an employee’s wage back in the 1960s. Fast forward to today, and it’s ballooned to a whopping 399 times.
But let’s not meander into the bylanes of corporate discrepancies just yet. A voice actor’s pay isn’t typically tied to game profits. As it stands, the gaming industry isn’t Hollywood. Renowned actors and directors might secure deals that offer a slice of the box office pie, but that’s not a luxury most voice actors or game developers enjoy. Given the intricate dance between developers and voice actors, with one relying on the other, perhaps it’s time for a tango of fairness in payment structures? Both are pivotal. Games would be a tad lifeless without the nuanced voiceovers, just as they would lack form without the developers.
With Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection coming out on October 27, it’s unclear if Jennifer Hale, who is also the latest to voice Bayonetta, will get paid for her role in both the original Metar Gear Solid game and its re-release, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes.
As a game designed to tackle the intricacies of war and everyone involved in it, perhaps it’s only fitting that its return to the mainstream spotlight makes us ask questions about whether or not the people making the games we so enjoy are getting paid a fair amount. For games that are major hits, should all contributors enjoy a piece of the profit pie? A noble thought, indeed. But, imagine the spiral it could set into motion. Games, already under fire for their pricing, might need another price hike to accommodate such a revenue-based payout system.
Jennifer Hale’s voice might have echoed in the chambers of Metal Gear Solid, but her recent disclosure is echoing across the industry, raising questions, prompting discussions, and maybe, just maybe, heralding a wave of change. After all, isn’t change the only constant in this world?
One thing’s for sure, when Jennifer Hale lent her voice to Metal Gear Solid, little did she realize she would be starting a different kind of conversation, decades later. A dialogue, not just about the game, but about fairness, value, and the business of gaming. Games might transport us to alternate realities, but the realities of their making? Well, they’re very much grounded in our world, aren’t they?
On that note, we’re wondering if Konami will re-pay the voice actors of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater after revealing plans to reuse their voice lines for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.
